Finding your purpose 2-Fix your thinking.

Hello Everyone,
I hope you had a great week and looking forward to a better one. Last week I wrote about finding your purpose and shared a bit of how I found mine. I got asked by a couple of people to expand a bit more on some of the struggles or challenges I went through as I tried to find my purpose. The most critical in my view was working on my thinking and making the link between my purpose, business results and the change required in me.

We were going through a turbulent period in the business and it was easy to mentally push my coach to the side, thinking if he wasn't given me ready answers to my business issues, what was the value? I had a science background and was a numbers person, Couldn't he see that under the circumstances our current estimates were realistic? Have we not all being taught about SMART targets, where was he hiding the realistic?  How could I commit to outcomes that I wasn't in control of all the elements?

My breakthrough came when my coach got me to focus on getting my Purpose right and filling the gap between who I was and who I had to become for it to be alive. My thinking changed from Focus on the results to who I had to become to deliver and still be accountable for the results. With that he shifted my thinking and focus about what was possible. My thinking had to change from needing my coach  to be a sales expert who gave answers to my sales problems to someone who pushed me beyond my limits and challenged my thinking on everything.

This was not easy at nor always pleasant initially. I started to put more emphasis  on what was possible despite the environment and situation . I separated my communication on latest estimates for planning purposes from my communication to the team on the outcomes and our focus on what we had to be and do. It wasn't easy at first but I became more comfortable.

I linked my purpose to the business and started to see how the business gave me a platform to live my purpose. I started to look beyond my sales targets and look at what was possible and became open to try some of the most outlandish things I would never have accepted in the past. I created a leadership outcome for my function and as I brought it to life in the organization, the results started to materialize beyond what I could have imagined. The fact that I was working with a group of Executives going through the same transformation probably had a greater effect in the magnitude of results we delivered as a business.

Changing your thinking from focus on the results to being led by your purpose is one of the most difficult challenges most people who have come to me for coaching face. I noticed this is more with people who have already some experience and accomplishments in their chosen field. It's more comfortable for them to remain experts than to open their minds and be constantly learning and unlearning.We live in a world that rewards the short term  to the detriment of sustainability ,business and personal growth that comes when you lead from purpose. It doesn't have to be either or, you have to understand the trade offs at any point and have the courage to make the decisions at any stage. That's how leadership that generates results and inspires trust is built.

Find your purpose, let it be at the heart of your thoughts and actions and you will be amazed at the kind of personal growth and results you will deliver.
Have a great week ahead and good luck .
Regards,
Alex Goma aka Teranga Lion